Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Alfred Anthony Clark, 29, with two counts of Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor for prostituting a 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old girl. The defendant was arraigned yesterday and bail was set at $100,000.

“We vigorously prosecute those who exploit underage girls as prostitutes,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “National and local law enforcement collaborated effectively to put together this case.”

In August 2012, the defendant met 16-year-old M.B. He offered to take care of M.B. and buy her nice things if she agreed to prostitute for him and give him the proceeds. The defendant took M.B. to prostitution areas to find dates, provided hotel rooms for her to work out of, and took photos of her for online advertisements.

On January 23, a Lakewood Police Detective with the FBI Innocence Lost Task Force responded to an escort ad on Backpage.com for a “two girl special.” The undercover detective set up a phony prostitution date at a Lakewood motel with M.B. and 17-year-old girl, D.M. Surveillance was set up around the motel. The undercover detective met the girls, who agreed to have sex with him for $210 each. Uniformed police then entered the room and both females were detained.

Officers arrested the defendant in the motel parking lot. According to the girls, the defendant provided his cell phone for them to use to set up the date, drove them to the motel and rented the room. They agreed to give him 60% of the money they made.

Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.